Purpose:  The purpose of this lab is to observe the characteristic wavelength of the prominent spectral lines of continuous light sources with a spectroscope and to analyze the emission lines from a number of different atomic emission light sources.

Hypothesis:  When atoms are excited  using an electric current, then the atoms will release energy in the form of light and produce an atomic emission spectrum.  As a result, the identity of an unknown substance can be determined from its atomic emission spectra.

Variables:

IV:  The element or substance that is in the gas discharge tube

DV:  The atomic emission spectrum of the substance.

Control:  The accepted atomic emission spectra of the substance.

Materials:

Safety:

Summary of Procedure

Obtain a diffraction grating or a spectroscope. Observe the spectra of all available elements and substances and record the unique atomic emission spectrum/ observations of each of the different elements in the data section. Label each spectrum carefully! Identify the unknown lamp by comparing each spectrum to the spectra you recorded. Correct identification is required to earn full credit for this part of the lab.